[IC] Shine City II: The Next Season

[Daxam]

At the question, Sabine sighed and leaned her head back.

"I'm fine, Zac. You have my thanks and all, but I can handle myself without the drugs."

Zac nods and sighs quietly, looking back down at his hands. After a few moments, he looks back up at Sabine and asks, "Was tonight the first time something like this happened?"

Sabine shook her head, and crossed her arms.

"I can't even remember how many times this happened, but this is gonna be the last one. I'm trying to start fresh, and Heaven knows I can't just do it again. The dosage I had was weaker than most starters will ever start with."

Hearing Sabine say that this was to be her last one, Zac breathes out a sigh of relief. Although he managed to stay calm while with Sabine and Nori, inside, it was the most terrified he had ever been in his life. During the ride to the hospital in the ambulance, he was constantly looking over at the EKG the EMT's had hooked up to her, fearing that at some point, it was going to flat-line. He only relaxed when the doctors assured him that she was going to be alright.

Still...he had heard stories of people with addictions. Every time something like this happened, they would say that would be their last time, yet they'd end up in the hospital for the same thing, sooner or later.

With that thought, Zac shakes his head. She knows how dangerous it's becoming for her, he thinks. Managing a smile, he says, "Alright. I'll go get a nurse for you."

Sabine nodded, and laid back to rest, before suddenly lunging at Zac's from her chair as she tapped a button.

"Wait...there's a button here..."

*BING!*

Right then and there, a green icon showing a nurse popped up on the side of her bed. Sabine sighed before leaning back, but not without keeping an unexpectedly strong grip on Zac's arm.

"...hey...Zac? I still need to thank you...so come closer, please..."

Zac takes a step toward the door, only to stop as he suddenly feels a surprisingly strong grip around his arm. Looking down, he watches as Sabine presses a button on her bed, calling the nurse. She then asks him to come closer and shrugs to himself. Thinking she wanted to whisper her thanks for some reason or another, he steps closer and leans over the bed. "You know, you really don't have to thank me," he says with a chuckle.

Right then and there, Sabine pulled his head closer with a firm grip on his nape, and smashed her lips into his without a second to spare between.

If he ever thought of pulling back, his attempts would be vain as she dug her fingernails into his scalp and skin. She had little money, and certainly not enough time in a weekend to even consider a relationship with other than just friends, but if she could at least leave him with one gift, something he'd probably want, it was going to be this.

And she was going to make this hella good. Her tongue pushed against his before slipping into his mouth, but to accommodate more room for the both of them, she tilted her head before sucking on his lower lip. Her teeth softly raked against it, before swapping for the upper as her tongue swirled around his; whatever saliva trailed with each attempted retreat was soon recollected in another bout between mouths.

...my thanks...

When she felt Zac had surrendered, Sabine slid her hands to his shoulder blades, and began to pull him onto the bed with her as she breathed less and less, eliciting tears to fall down her cheeks as her breathing lulled into heavy pants...

Zac knew he should have expected something like this when Sabine asked him to come closer. How he didn't was a mystery to him and he couldn't help but think about the nurse who was about to walk in on this. However, that thought was quickly pushed to the wayside as he felt himself giving into to the kiss.

With a sigh, he relaxes and, one part due to Sabine's influence, another part due to his own free will, he slips onto the bed, gently laying on top of her as his hands gently cup her cheeks. Feeling the tears, his thumbs gently wipe them away without breaking the kiss. One hand slips away from her cheek and rests on the side of her neck as he tilts his head, his own breathing beginning to match hers.

As they continue, he can't help but think back to previous girlfriends and how they had kissed. Sure, back then, he enjoyed every second of it, but, even considering his past experiences, Sabine was one hell of a kisser.

But before either could intensify their efforts, Sabine pushed for one longer, breathless kiss before finally pulling back, leaving that signature trail of saliva from her lips as she had done with Nori's fingers.

"...th-thank you, Zac...but this is all I can give you," she managed to say rather shakily as she sucked up the leftover saliva, before leaning back into her pillow.

"...you're the sweetest guy I've met in a while, but...I can't do this to you. You're young, and I'm...I'm not going to be around for as long as you might think. The drugs and all did their work on me and...I can't have you worrying about those and me whenever we party and...and, so if we could just...be friends, that'd be fine."

She paused a beat, before continuing.

"...I appreciate everything, but..."

And that's when the nurse walked in.

When Sabine finally pulled away from the kiss, Zac does the same, breathing heavily to catch his breath. He was smiling, up until the point Sabine told him that the drugs over the years have taken their toll and she didn't want him worrying, that she'd rather be friends. Zac sighs, but manages to smile anyway, something he had always been good at doing, even before he taught himself magic. "It's no problem," he quietly says. "Besides, we just met tonight, anyway. I'm pretty surprised that that even happened."

Hearing footsteps, Zac turns around to see the nurse standing there, holding Sabine's bundled clothes. When the page came in, she was told about the patient in the room she was going to and that it would've been a good idea to bring her clothes to her. The last thing she had expected was walking in on the young woman with a guy in her bed. Without another word, the nurse places Sabine's clothes next to the bed and hurries off.

Zac chuckles quietly and climbs off of Sabine and the bed, saying with a flushed face, "Well...glad we didn't have to explain anything. I think that would've made things worse." After a few moments, he picks up a piece of paper he was going to use for folding a crane, as well as a pen, and writes something down on the paper before handing it to Sabine. "My number," he says. "In case you ever wanna talk or hang out..."

Sabine took the card and held it against her chest as she sighed.

"...I'm sorry," was all she could say as she looked away and listened to him.

She nodded at his last couple of comments, her cheeks red as though she were drunk, as she slipped out of bed and granted Zac a fleeting look high up her thigh. With a mouse-like "eep!", she covered her legs, before slipping back on each article of clothing with an eye on Zac...minus a blue-and-white striped bikini bra.

"Not a peek or a peep, okay?!" she almost shouted at him, before she sat back on the bed. Once Zac had closed his eyes, Sabine lifted her shirt off and slipped on her bra before putting her shirt back on. Over that went her cardigan, which she tried to fumble with before sighing.

"...Zac...I'll owe you this much more if you can help me with buttoning up..."

As she said this, Sabine struggled a little bit to pinch her index finger and thumb together, before letting her hand droop to her side.

"...I think I'll just...oh..."

Right then and there, she pulled out her IV feed, and wiped the red spot over with an alcohol pad on the table.

"I think I'll just wait in the lobby a little bit, until this rain goes. So...I mean, if you've got work tomorrow, you can go on ahead..."

The second Zac saw Sabine climb out of bed, he looks away, blushing as he remembers just how much (or how little) clothing she was wearing. He only looks back (through one, half-closed eye, at that) when he hears Sabine ask for help buttoning up. Seeing that she was decently dressed, he quietly chuckles and walks over. As he helps her button her cardigan, he watches as she pulls her IV out. "I know you may be used to it," he says as he steps back after finishing with the last button, "but I still don't know how you can do that. I hate needles."

Hearing Sabine go on to say that she was going to wait in the lobby until the rain passes, he says, "I think I'll do the same. I'm not exactly dressed for rain, right now, and I don't have any money for a cab." Chuckling again, he adds, "Looks like you're stuck with me for awhile more."

[Stern Algorithm]

"If you're serious about the job offer," Zac says to the barista as he sits back down, "then I'll gladly take it!" Turning back to Livius, he adds, "And as much as I appreciate the offer, I don't think I'm ready. I still need to work out some tweaks in my escape, namely not drowning. But, if you keep that offer open, then I'll gladly take it once I know I'm ready!"

@Daxam

"Great," the barista replied, we can discuss a working schedule whenever you'd like. As the two young men were digging into their food, Shizuka stepped back into the employees only area to check her cell which had vibrated.

Sounds awesome Shiz! Can I meet you at the Shine City Aquarium at 2:30? I'll try and wear something nice haha! see you there xx

@Dynamo Frokane

Shizuka smiled; she loved the aquarium, and it wasn't just the 'cute' or 'pretty' fish, sea mammals, and sea-fowl that she liked, Shizuka appreciated the magnificence of all forms of biodiversity, including crustaceans, cnidarians, and mollusks. She particularly liked the deep-sea exhibits, where the corridors were kept dark and everything was bathed in a blue hue, with cylinders of jellyfish floating about. Shizuka really looked forward to this outing with Nick.

---

Sunday, 10:22 AM

Shizuka was working the morning shift at The Shining Kettle again. She hadn't heard Zac's schedule negotiations with the barista, so she didn't know if he'd be in today.

"Umm...miss? Two lattes please?"

The order from the slightly disgruntled customer brought Shizuka's mind back to reality. "Y-yes, of course, will that be all?"

"Yeah."

Shizuka took the order to the kitchen and let out a sigh. She was preoccupied. Her date with Nick kept nagging at the back of her mind. For her part, she had enjoyed seeing the aquarium with him, but there was an unsettling undercurrent. Shizuka could tell by the end of it that Nick was uncomfortable, perhaps even hurt. He had expected something from her that she didn't reciprocate. He had asked several probing questions, made a few tactful advances, but she had diverted them without realizing what she was doing. After all, he couldn't be attracted to her, right? She was too plain, too old-fashioned; while he was young at heart and unique. And he hadn't known her for very long. But she couldn't just let things stand the way they are, not until she apologized and got to the bottom of this. Shizuka knew from his radio show that Nick was an admirer of women; if he did in fact like her, she would probably tell him that he deserved better.

She sent a quick text, "Hey Nick, after we met at the aquarium, something's not sitting right with me. I feel I need to apologize. Can we talk?"

[Takashi]

Yutaro stared out the window with a grimace. Rain sucked. It made your socks soggy, ruined your hair, and made everything ten times colder than it needed to be. Rain was probably the reason that pre-historic men chose caves to live in; even they knew how much it sucked. Oh, and what if you wanted an ice cream cone? Could you eat that in the rain? No. You couldn't. He was just grateful he didn't need to wear glasses, because he was sure they would fog up the second he stepped outside. And on a Sunday too; it was supposed to be sunny on Sundays, not rainy! With a sigh, Yutaro turned on the radio as he prepared himself breakfast... Actually, it was raining; he didn't feel like preparing breakfast. He just grabbed a pack of Natto and called it a meal.

It was always amazing how that Nick Weston guy could be so cheery on a rainy day. Maybe there was a patch of sunshine over the radio station that was brightening up his mood. Anyway, it seemed that Iruka had caught his attention somehow. It seemed cruel to broadcast such a demure girl's name over the radio like that, but such was the way of the media. "...Just don’t get caught ogling the pretty florists like Kaori Tatsumia..." Kaori? That was the same name that had brought about Ryoki's... episode... last night. Was it the same girl? Nah, that would be too much of a coincidence.

Well, since it was raining, Yutaro figured there was no better day than to sit down and veg out with some Netflix. He considered briefly playing some video games, but he was pretty damn sure that the rain caused every game to lag. So, he grabbed his remote, pressed the power button, and... nothing happened. "You've got to be kidding me," he muttered as he rapped the remote against his leg and tried again. Still nothing. The power was working and all the wiring was fine, so it had to be the batteries. "Fine... let's see what you take." Triple A. Of course it was triple A. It wouldn't be double A because he already bought a 50-pack of those on sale last week. He looked out the window one last time. Well, it wasn't really that bad outside. Maybe he could take a short run to the store.

So, Yutaro suited up. First, a large rain coat that looked more like a glossy trench coat with a hood. Next, boots. He was sure that his socks would somehow get soggy anyway, but at least they would serve as damage control. Next, some leather gloves. There were few sensations worse than the pseudo-pruned fingers the damp weather left unshielded hands with. And, of course, a big ol' umbrella. Thus armored, he pulled the hood over his head, opened up the umbrella and stepped out into the streets, completely unrecognizable, but as dry as one could be on a crappy day like this. "Freakin' triple A..."

[Delta44]

The Following Morning...

Ryoki was sound asleep at her desk. Currently, she was dreaming about the events of last night, however, as dreams did, things didn't quite follow what had actually happened. Not that Ryoki could really recall that much to begin with, but nevertheless, it was a fun little dream...

At least, it was fun, until it turned into a living nightmare...

A siren blasted into her ears, causing Ryoki to panic. Her confusion lasts only a brief second or two, before the siren began it's routine screech. That was when she awoke. "GAH! SON OF A FU-" She's cut off by the loud thud her body makes as she instinctually rolls (or rather, falls) out of her chair, hitting the hard surface of the floor, pulling her headphones with her. Unfortunately, the shitty quality of the headphones means they break on impact.

The siren blares again.

"Yes! I'm up you stupid fucking alarm clock!" She exclaims as she reaches up on to her desk and slams her fist down on it, effectively silencing the beast. However, it comes at the expense of a very sore hand. "Owww..."

Sulking, the Mistress of Darkness and Temptation pulls herself up, using her desk as a means of achieving such a feat. With a sore wrist, broken headphones and a level of tiredness associated only with the dead, Ryoki wonders just how she wound up going through such a horrible morning...

"Oh... That's right. Drunk me is nice and considerate..." She groans. She'd set her own alarm clock to be early, no doubt because she knew she was going to be pulling an all-nighter, or at least a good portion of one. Why hadn't she just gone straight to bed when she arrived home, you ask? Her sister had gone through a scary encounter with some creep the night before, and, fear being such a rare emotion for Mokyu to display, Ryoki was very concerned. So, she did what any sensible person would and stayed up with her all night playing games until she was OK (which just so happened to be five in the morning), before falling asleep herself, waking up two hours later by her own stupid alarm clock which she, herself, had set. It was just enough sleep to enter a slumber, yet not enough to recover one's state of rest.

'Ryoki, you truly are evil... So evil, you even try to beat up yourself! You need to stop...'

And thus, Ryoki was sent about her usual morning routine: take a long, hot shower, drink some coffee, and get ready to go to Kaori's...

---

The caffeine worked it's magic as Ryoki's senses were brought back to life. After an incredibly long shower, and her sluggishness as she attempted to get ready, it had taken the raven nearly a full hour to get ready for what would be coming later in the day. Through all her pain and suffering, she was finally granted salvation with a homemade coffee of the best beans in Shine City: Mocchavine. "I'm so glad I got these the other day... I would be dead otherwise." She gave a slight chuckle to her own joke, before reverting to a state of melancholy, similar to that she experienced last night.

'N-no, Ryoki... Don't think about it... They're in a better place...'

She nods to herself ignorantly, before letting out a cold sigh. Suddenly, her coffee wasn't as appetizing as it once was...

"Come on, stahp~!" She playfully slaps her cheeks and giggles to herself. "You're not going to be all moody and stuff when you meet Kaori today, are you~? Nope! That girl needs a handsome boyfriend who'll take care of her, and it's my job to help take care of her!" She nods as though she were accepting her own idea and praising herself at the same time. "Mmhmm! There you are! That wasn't so hard, was it?" She says, though before she can continue the conversation with herself further, her phone makes the distinct tone of a text message. As it just so happens, there were two, though one was from about half an hour earlier; both were from her siblings.

The first message was a thank you from Mokyu, saying that Ryoki staying up to help her really calmed her down. No doubt she was back to her deadpanned monotonous self, at least until she got on stage, Ryoki thought. She only ever really showed energy when on stage - otherwise Mokyu always looked and sounded exhausted. 'Maybe that's the reason behind the stage mask?' She thought with a faint grin. 'Don't worry; this is what sisters do!' Ryoki texted back, before moving on to the second message, this one being from Kimasu.

This second message was a date offering -- which was code for "I need some things" between the two of them --, with details regarding that Kimasu was in need of 'certain goods and services' at Shine Junction. "I'll come pick you up when you're ready." He wrote, and Ryoki responded with: 'I actually need to get some stuff, too, so sure! I'm ready~! ;)'

She had lots of time before she had to go to Kaori's, approximately two hours. She could afford to spend some time with her little bro until then.

A Short Time Later...

"Excuse me? I heard a pretty dame lived here who goes by the name of Ryoki Mochizukki. Can you open up, I've brought a gift for her..."

Ryoki grins to herself as she hears her little brother's voice. With a natural waver that made everything he said sound like it was spoken by an upper-class Englishman, Kimasu was a textbook definition of fancy. Of course, keeping the charm and class in a society that was degrading to one-night-stands and parties was rather difficult, however after his own private tutoring with The Master, he soon found he was almost natural at assuming the position of gentleman and flirt, and it soon integrated into his natural pattern of speech, though that may just be genetics at work. Either way, his undeniable finesse was something he used with absolute care and responsibility, opting not to use it for dark and otherwise evil purposes like some would. He was rather fond of saving diamonds in the rough, considering he'd always been a bookworm who enjoyed the classic fairy tale. In his mind, these fairy tales were real; they were truth, whereas most relationships nowadays were based upon lies, misconceptions or an overall lack of knowledge on the opposite person, hence leading to heartbreak.

Kimasu, the ever adventurous playboy, was out to change that - to save a princess from despair and reignite a fairy tale. Though of course, that wasn't today. Today he needed glasses.

Ryoki answers the door and smiles at the handsome young man, who was dressed in his usual, fancy-pants attire that Ryoki wasn't even sure the name of. Ryoki herself, however, was wearing a nice black coat and skirt, accompanied again by her comfortable leggings, and, of course, her irreplaceable black and yellow scarf, which was wrapped in it's usual fashion around her neck. "Ready to go?" She asks Kimasu, cocking an eyebrow in curiosity, though she knew the answer to that already; she already knew him back to front, better than any girl could or would. She is his older sister, after all.

Kimasu himself couldn't help but release a brief chuckle, cocking an eyebrow of his own as his mouth twisted into a grin of satisfaction. "You stole my line~," his replies, the voice of an angel; despite this, he was a terrible singer, "but of course I'm ready to go! I see you dressed appropriately for the occasion, too, for once. Ah, but the cold wouldn't affect one so hot, would it?"

Ryoki disregards the young man's compliment and simply brushes past him, crooking a finger for him to follow. "Yes, let's go~."

"Not even going to retort to that...?" He asks with a low groan, before following behind after her. "That's OK - it's not like I was looking for praise or anything... Thanks for lowering my self-esteem..."

---

The trip to Shine Junction was expectantly swift. That place housed pretty much everything a man or woman could desire, ranging from goods in entertainment to more practical pieces of technology. This diverse range was especially needed, since Ryoki was in need of a new set of headphones (or better yet, a headset), and Kimasu was in need of new glasses, gifts, and sweets for his precious younger sister, which he would often answer to with sarcasm.

Though, he had to make an exception to that earlier this morning.

"So, did you hear about Mokyu?" Kimasu asks out of the blue, his tone of voice significantly less cheerful and much more mundane, something that only happened when he was speaking about a serious topic. To answer his question, Ryoki nods. "Part of me couldn't believe it at first, yet hearing her mention you, I had no more doubts about her truthfulness. She's always so stubborn, but at least she knows when to call for help..." Kimasu gave Ryoki a brief, saddened smile as he walks with her through Shine Junction, and she could've sworn a tear had made it's way into one of his eyes. "Seriously... Thanks for looking out for her."

"It's what sisters do; Hell, it's what any kind of decent family would do for each other." Ryoki answers, her kind sentiment cheering up her adoptive brother, putting a smile on his face once more.

"I couldn't agree more!" He exclaims as he's suddenly much more energetic than earlier, grabbing her hand and tugging her forward. "Then how about we get this date underway?"

"You're lucky nobody knows we're related..." She whispers under her breath, before letting out a cheery giggle as she follows after him. The Raven and her pretty companion then began their shopping spree of Shine Junction, with Kimasu paying for most of the expenses himself, despite what Ryoki had to say about it. Admittedly, it was done using the family's money. After a mighty fine breakfast, the retrieval of a new headset, and a lot of gift shopping (which included sweets for a certain sugar junky little sister), the two arrived at their last destination: An Eye For Fashion.

"I'm in need of a new pair of reading glasses, since I broke my last ones." That was the story Kimasu claims, though Ryoki felt he simply needed a new prescription from reading so many books. "I'll be right back." The blonde enters the store with a wave, and Ryoki decides to take a seat at the bench right outside, out of the terrible precipitation that was occurring.

"Ugh... Today was a pretty bad day for shopping." She manages to zone out to the soothing sound of rain for a moment, closing her eyes in an attempt to get at least a little bit of rest. 'Ahh... Relaxing...'

[LovelyComplex]

@KoL @BeastofDestiny

- 9:14 AM -

A rouge pink-haired girl (Amity) concentrated deeply on a drawing pad with panels as her Tombow pencil glided on the surface. Her hair was decorated with a white and black polka dot bow while a violet raincoat and black, babydoll dress, clothed her body. Her drawing pad laid on her lap while she sat on a sofa across from a fish tank, in one of her parent's private jets. The aircraft's interior was designed like a small living room: Bellerose aircraft. On the petite lady's left were two fiery-haired men (Liam and Luke) sitting on their own one-seater, debating about the matter of whether or not fans at meet & greets should carry hand sanitizer on their person and apply it before making any contact with the celebrity. Liam, her manager, and Luke, her bodyguard, were obvious brothers by appearance but personality-wise, they contrasted like a cat and a dog.

"A filthy fan will spread their foul disease by a simple handshake! I can just look at someone and see the germs crawl up and down his skin. Sickening, I tell you." Liam glared aggressively at his nail cuticles to make sure there wasn't any dead skin. He wore a perfectly-ironed white suit, with a red button up, long sleeved shirt.

While putting his hair up in a man bun, Liam's brother, Luke, rolled his eyes, "Shut the hell up. Why don't you get that stick out your-"

Liam quickly interjected, "No cursing, especially in front of Amity."

Finishing his bun, he leaned toward his brother and mouthed wide, "GET laid." Amity looked up with her frost blue eyes and dully watched the two.

Eden's Secret - Volume 3 - Last pages of last chapter

Amity's active manga characters: Illuria and Spencer
"You're...You're a WITCH..." Spencer, a man of sports and revelry, looked frightened, tired and out of breath, as he stared at the white-haired beauty.

Illuria looked at him with a tender smile, "Why did you run from me, Spency? Weren't you going to meet your friend at the park?" The girl twirled and gestured around her, they were standing on a bridge high above a river. The stars made the water twinkle. The boy quickly scanned his area for an escape route as the girl sighed, "The weather is so beautiful, don't you think? Perfect date weather, I'd say." His hair blew in his face and in response, she approached him to push away the strands from his eyes. He slapped her hand away from him immediately.

"Get away from me, Satan!"

"That wasn't very nice." Her body began levitating in the air as she made her way closer to the edge of the bridge, never losing her gaze with Spencer, "You can go to the park, but you're not going to find what you're looking for." Illuria giggled to herself, amused at his perplexed expression.

"Wha- what did you do with Lu- Lucy?" His fist began to ball up. This girl he always thought was a sweet princess, was actually the devil incarnated! He continued, "Th-this is why no one likes you people!"

Her eyes grew dark as she snapped, "What do you mean by 'you people'?" Biting his tongue, dread filled Spencer's face. As he backed away, preparing for his escape, she cooed on, "What you're looking for is already here, Spency." The boy's eyes widened, he ran to the edge of the bridge and peered down. Tears welled up in his eyes when he saw a rope tied on the railing of the bridge and at the end of it was a cheerleader's corpse, her blonde hair in lovely pigtails. Illuria gingerly put her lips by his ear and whispered, "I think she looks peaceful."

Swiftly turning and taking out his knife, he went to attack the witch. Only to find himself already pushed and falling down, down, down to the water while yelling, "YOU MONSTER."

Waving down at him, she replied, "I know."

- 9:40 AM -

Walking out of the plane, Amity saw a Rolls-Royce Phantom waiting for her, Liam, and Luke. Both brothers carried an umbrella to make sure Amie didn't get rain on her curls. Coming out of the car, Renee, after opening her own umbrella, approached them with her doberman, Bane. Bane wagged his tail excitingly at the sight of Luke. As Renee looked at him with annoyance, she directed her words to Amie, "I'm relieved you had a safe landing. The living arrangements have been taken care of, but if you want to change anything, let me know." The dog bounced in the rain like a little child.

"No special greeting for me, Miss Renee?" Luke winked at her playfully.

Amity looked into the car in hopes for more people to come out, but the car stood still.

Ignoring his existence, Renee took note of Amie's eyes and informed the young girl of her parents' whereabouts, "They will be getting in this evening, just in time for your mother's scheduled appearance... but with this rain, you might have to take your mother's place (at the casino), Amie."

Amity replied with a smile, "We were lucky enough to leave when the rain was light." But anyone could tell she was disappointed.

Renee darted her stare towards the bodyguard, "Luke, why don't you take Amie around town while Liam and I prepare for tonight's event?" Before Luke had time to be snarky, a white BMW Sedan pulled up as a generic-looking valet stepped out and threw the keys at Luke. A car with decent prestige but subtle enough to hide a celebrity in.

With prowess, Luke caught the keys darting for his back and grinned, "Don't mind if I do!" Turning to Amie, he handed her the keys, "Take me on a spin, lovely."

Extremely concerned, Liam growled, "You're allowing this? It's pouring!" Renee answered with a shrug and her eyes read: This is to cheer Amity up (but also, if anything bad happens, it would be Luke's job on the line, so...). He watched Amity and Luke run to the car, he yelled at them, "Don't go over the speed limit! Be careful! Watch out for pedestrians! Call every hour!" Sighing in defeat, Liam watched them speed off.

- 10:22 AM -

Driving on Kyle's street, both Luke and Amie listened to the guy on the radio. Amie shook her head, "Guy sounds like a tool. I wonder if this Iruka chick likes her name being blasted. Such unwanted attention, I'd say."

"You would know. Luckily, Japan doesn't know you're here...yet."

Pulling up in front of Kyle's apartment, Amity looked at Luke with a little grin, "This is his house right? I hope he received my postcards!" She hadn't seen Kyle in years. Right after highschool, he moved to Japan and she went on tour, and then projects just began to drown her. He won't even expect his highschool friend is in town! Hopefully for a few years, at least.

Leaning back in his chair, Luke yawned, "Yeah, that one. I'll be waiting in here. Be back in twenty and don't forget the umbrella. Renee would shoot me if your curls frizzed up."

Exiting out of the car, Amie eagerly dialed Kyle's cell number and waited for him to pick up so she could be like 'HEY KYLE! GUESS WHOSE IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE?!' Approaching his front door, she listened impatiently to the ringtone, "Watch him just be waking up. Maybe I should check if he left a window open..." When no one answered, she growled and left a voicemail: I'll just call your landline, idiot.

After hanging up she texted him: YOU NEVER PICK UP YOUR CELL. Call me or Luke NOW. <3 Because I'm impatient. And I miss you.

Grumbling to herself she dialed his home number and prayed to god he was home, she started surveying his house for possible entrances, "Please be home. Please be home. Please be home."

[Knight of Doom]

Amaya's morning had been going quite well. She got up on time, had a delicious, healthy breakfast, sure it was raining, but Amaya loved it. There was something about the refreshing air, and dark cloudy sky that felt so good. She had walked to work that morning with her white umbrella, while it suck out a lot in the weather, the blond liked the blue and green flower design on it. It kept most of her top half dry, but her boots and the ends of her jeans got wet. Luckily there was time for them to dry while she was in her work outfit.

Sunday mornings were always slow. It was a bit boring for Amaya she prefered staying busy, but times like this allowed her to observe the few customers who did come in. Many were single males. Spotting one of these common people seated close to the door, Amaya carefully scanned him. He was definitely a labor worker, not that that was bad or anything, people like him keep society going. He was having a simple, traditional breakfast. Rice, and a cup of coffee. His facial features indicated that he was working himself to the bone and wasn't taking proper care of himself.

The familiar bell woke the kimono clad girl from her daze as it had done so many times. Her usual response kicked in. She stood up straight and faced the incoming customer with a smile on her face. "Welcome to the Tiny Snowflake. How many are there in your party?"

[Daxam]

『Sunday 9:30 AM』

As the alarm blares in his bedroom, with a tired groan, Zac slowly sits up in his bed, rubbing the back of his eyes as he does. The rain hadn't let up last night, so he had taken his chances with a cab after Sabine had left. By the time he got home, he made a beeline for his bed and collapsed face-first into it, the events of that night having tired him out much more than he had originally thought.

Reaching over, he turns his alarm off and climbs out of bed, taking his time as he goes through his morning routine. After brushing his teeth and taking a shower, he makes himself a slice of toast and steps into the living room. Turning on the television, he flips through the channels for a few moments before turning it back off, unable to find anything worthwhile to watch.

Deciding to take the initiative for once, he mutters to himself, "I don't have anything better to do. May as well see if I can start work early, today." He was supposed to come in around noon, but, unable to find anything to do until then, he decides to dress in his uniform, a pinstriped grey vest, white dress shirt, and grey pants. A few minutes later, he was out of the door.

---

『10:45 AM』

The little bell over the door rings as Zac steps inside the Shining Kettle. Seeing Shizuka at her post, he looks around to find that the place was empty, except for two people sitting at a booth. Deciding to take advantage of the downtime, he walks over to his co-worker with a smile. "Hey," he says. Noting a rather distracted look in her eyes, he asks, "Penny for your thoughts?"

@Stern Algorithm

[Viciousmarrow]

"Daddy, I want a booberry muffin!" the voice of a little girl begged her father, pulling on his pants legs.

"You mean, a blueberry muffin?" the father corrected her.

"That's what I said! Booooberryyyy!"

The blonde, messy haired man laughed at his small daughter's retort, tussling her hair a bit. His other hand held the umbrella that kept them both relatively dry in the pouring rain. She was a cutie, especially in her big purple jacket and fuzzy brown boots.. At 4 years old, she stood just below his waist, sported long blonde hair, and big blue eyes. Ever since she had come into this world, she meant nothing more than the world to him. Since today was Sunday, it was his day to spend with her. Unfortunately, it was a bit nasty out, but that wasn't going to dissuade Alban from doing something with his daughter.

Currently, the young bespectacled father and his child were walking down Shine Junction, exploring the main stretch of Shine City. They hadn't done too much earlier in the day, except eat a light breakfast and get ready for a lot of walking.

"Okay, fine, Lucille. I'll get a blueberry muffin for you. There should be a cafe around here somewhere..." he mused before taking his daughter's tiny hand.

Together, they walked about a half mile before finally stumbling upon a cafe. As he stood under the awning of the Shining Kettle to fold his umbrella, the smell of coffee touched his nose, and a deep craving for the stuff embraced him. Alban hadn't had a cup of coffee in years, preferring tea over it, so he thought he might as well grab a cup while he was here. Licking his lips, he wrenched open the door to the sound of bells and ushered Lucille in.

The place looked about how you would expect it to look. It was homey and inviting, while the smells made it all the more comforting. Alban and Lucille strode up to the counter, the little girl's eyes filled with wonder. Placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder, his eyes flew up to the menu and scanned everything they had. The more he browsed it though, the more his head started to hurt.

Mocchiato, latte, cappuccino, espresso, antoccino, frappe, breve, espressino...

Alban didn't really have a clue as to what kind of drinks these things were, and it definitely showed from the blank expression he wore. Who knew getting a coffee could be so convoluted?

Suddenly, an exhilarated gasp came from Lucille's lips, and she started to point at a dark haired waitress who was talking to a coworker.

"WOOOW, SHE'S SO PRETTY! I hope I'm that pretty when I grow up!" the little girl exclaimed, hopping up and down.

Alban laughed at his daughter's reaction and waved nervously at the waitress. Lucille's outburst had disturbed one of the very few patrons there, who slammed whatever book he was reading and promptly left the cafe, mumbling something about how awful kids were. A rosy wave of embarrassment filled out Alban's cheeks in response.

"Sorry, she's... very excitable." he fumbled out.

As his gaze fell on the woman, he felt like he recognized her from somewhere. Probably from school since she appeared to be close to his age. The male waiter, on the other hand, he didn't recognize at all.

"Uh... you wouldn't happen to sell blueberry muffins here, would you? Also, can one of you recommend a coffee? I'm not exactly well versed in the art of coffee." he asked the two, messing with his hair as he did so.

@Stern Algorithm @Daxam

[SkeankySnack]

Lightning cracks through the sky and rain pours down on the cab as they pull away. Kyle's smile was wide, WAYYY TOO WIDE, but he was a damn happy man for a damn good reason. His mind just kept replaying the scenes over and over, everything from the way she kissed him how she just took control and just...Damn his lips were still sore, but from how intensely he was kissing her back, he probably left her with a few of her own war wounds.

“I’ll see you around, right?”

"Definitely" He wanted to see her again, he wanted to see her a lot actually, hell he'd spend damn near everyday to be with her she was so, just so... "Gorgeous, stunning, funny, confident, sexy, happy, beautiful." The list just kind of kept going on, but he felt elated, he hadn't felt THIS GOOD in a long while. He wanted to ride that high to sleep, and when the cab pulled up to his apartment, he paid the man, entered his room and promptly crashed on his bed not even bothering to change out of his clothes.

@Narcotic Dollie

---

(A collab, written by @BeastofDestiny & @lovely complex)

The day was bright and sunny, clouds sailed across the sky and a rather large oak tree shaded the couple resting beneath its branches. The grass was green, the birds were chirping, everything was peace and bliss and Kyle and Nori sat side by side, enjoying the scenery. His mind was at peace, enjoying the quiet companionship with his lady friend, suddenly she tapped him on the chest, turning to gaze into her eyes, he saw a rather sultry look form in them. She crept closer to him, whispering sweet things, she wanted to tell him something, a secret, turning his ear to her, her mouth was mere inches from him. He heard her breathe in and RINNGNGNGNNGGNG.

Kyle shot up like a rocket in his bed, suddenly surging with adrenaline from the loud noise that disturbed him from his pleasant dream. Just as quickly as he had energy though, his body just as quickly realized no it didn't as he groggily forced himself up to answer his land line. It was uncommon for anyone to call him on it, though considering he lost his cell, it might have been his boss looking for him to come work a shift that day. It didn't happen often, but it happened. The phone blared and ringed throughout his tiny apartment, Kyle walked out of his room, grumbling as his legs drunkenly carried his tired self to the cordless phone that the owners had 'SO GRACIOUSLY' put in everyone's apartment.

Picking it up to silence its cries he pressed the phone to his ear. "This is Kyle speaking," his voice was obviously of one who just got their ass out of bed and he didn't care to hide it.

"Well... Wakey, wakey sleepyhead! I have a surprise for you!" Amity looked at the keypad of the apartment and then she grinned. After putting the phone on speaker, she went to her note section which had a pass code in it. Drawing closer to the keypad, she dialed the numbers. While doing so, her tongue stuck out and her left eye squinted. She was in full concentration. Within seconds, the front door of the apartment clicked open. Mentally fist pumping in the air, since both of her hands were occupied, Amity entered the apartment knowing exactly what number to go to. Has she ever been here? Absolutely not.

Kyle's brain suddenly snapped awake as the sweet, soothing, and high pitched voice excitedly yelled into the phone. Even though it had been a long time since he heard her voice, it was a distinctive and very familiar one.

"(Amity?! Holy crap is that you?!)"

The surprise in his voice was real, surprise and elation (with a chance of doom). Memories of days long past flooded his mind, memories of the shenanigans they'd get up to and the amount of times he'd have to stop her from, as she'd sometimes say 'shanking a bitch'. He was curious now though, she metnioned a surprise.

"(So what's this surprise? Oh man I can't believe you calle-)" A sudden realization dawned on him, he knew she had gotten his apartment number when he sent her a postcard after moving in, but it could only be reached if you were... "(Amie...how are you calling me right now?) Turning to his door he slowly approached it, caution in each step, "(Where exactly are you?)"

"No, it's the girl next door." Imagining his expression, she couldn't help but laugh. Kyle was pretty down to earth and she appreciated that. He wasn't afraid to tell her off even if she came from riches. One thing she did remember the most was him surprising her with a pastry from a near bakery when she was depressed about her ex ex ex fiance. She turned into the office to see the landlord, she quickly handed him her umbrella. Placing the phone on her chest, Amie said lowly, "One of your residents will be coming to get this shortly." He was too busy dealing with an angry resident so he just nodded. She left it by the mailboxes. The thing about her umbrella was... she's had it since high school. Nice. Bright. Yellow with her initials embroidered in it.

"Oh... the surprise? I sent a BIG package like a couple of weeks ago. I'm pretty sure it came last night. You should go to the office and check." Taking a turn down the hall, Amity saw a door open near Kyle's room, a couple of lovebirds both glued to the other. They didn't bother to look at the tiny girl passing them. With a sleight of hand, she slipped her hand in the guy's coat and took out his wallet. What luck.

Opening it, she found his key card. She listened to their conversation and waited for it to disappear. She then slipped into their room and waited.

Looking around in the room, she responded, "Oh, where am I? I'm with Luke, silly! Like always." She grimaced at the color scheme... so tacky, and went straight to the fridge. Opening it, she found a cake that read: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. Her eyes widened. This was perfect! It was after all the anniversary of when Kyle punched her second ex fiance in the face for saying mean things to her!

A package? "(Right, I'll go downstairs and check it out.)"

Kyle had a feeling in his gut that, when it came to his friend, he always trusted, but the thing about Amity Bellerose, was that even when you were expecting something from her, she still caught you off guard. Opening the door to his apartment he looked out to the left, then to the right, no one in sight. Exiting, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him, he walked down the hall and to the lobby to the mail room. Mr. Hayazaki was bitching to the super...again about...fuck it he didn't care.

"'Scuse me boss man, is there a package for me?" Still clearly too distracted by the new tole being torn into him the landlord pointed behind Kyle. Turning around, Kyle raised an eyebrow when he saw...an umbrella, bright and yellow. Picking it up he inspected it, the initials A. B. stitched into the fabric, "She sent me her umbrella? Why unwrapped?" No packaging labels, no box or case, something was very very odd here and it only served to strengthen the feeling inside of him.

"(So how's Luke doing? Been keeping you out of trouble right?)" He started making his way back up the stairs to his room.

"You can say that..." Amity peeked her head out of the random strangers' room and saw that the close was clear. After leaving the wallet behind and with the phone between her ear and shoulder, and the cake in one hand, she went to Kyle's door. Luck was on her side again! The door wasn't fully closed. Creaking it open quietly, she entered the room and continued, "Luke and Renee are totally sleeping with each other now." Glancing at his man cave, her face softened. The memories she shared with her dear friend were something she cherished. Not paying any attention, she did not see a console controller on the ground and tripped on it. Trying to save her cake, which is out of her grasp but inches away, Amie reached for it desperately. Too late from landing on her foot, she accidentally took hold of anything within her reach in hopes to save herself from the fall. Down goes the curtain as she pulls it for dear life. Crashing into his coffee table, everything on it flew off, and she hurled over it... and into his lamp. Closing her eyes tightly, the sound of shattering glass was heard. The lamp could now be found laying on the ground, broken.

Sitting up now, her bow on her hair ruined, she looked at the mess she created. A sigh of relief was made when she saw the cake laying perfectly on the ground still on it's plate.

Amie crawled to her phone and said, "I'm okay!"

"(Ok now I know you're bullshitting me)" An ass like Luke and a sophisticated lady like Renee? Anything was possible, but even for those two-

A series of very loud crashes and glass shattering pierced into the phone causing Kyle to wince and pull the phone away from his ear. He was worried for her safety of course, but what the devil was she doing? Approaching the door to his room he began to open it, "(Now what exactly are you do- ...)"

His room definitely didn't look like this before, he was a bit messy and unorganized sure, but this was just absolute chaos, it was like a tornado blew in here; or rather a devil. Looking down at the floor, he saw the petite and disheveled figure of his friend, his mouth open, shocked that not only was his friend here, but that she somehow managed to cause so much destruction in such a short amount of time. A perfectly in tact cake with the writing "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY" adorned it, a pristine little thing in a total warzone.

He watched her bounce up from the floor and scurry to the cake. Picking the cake up, his friend cautiously tiptoed closer to him and playfully greeted, "Hey buddy... did you miss me?"

His gut feelings never ceased to amaze him...

Kyle's face

[Bozo]

It had been a busy past few hours, that much was certain. Oliver had just finished getting into his car after completing a plethora of tasks previously. First, was last night. He took Shou home, before having to call in a favor to get the Professor's Ford back into his driveway. Next, he had to return to his apartment, take a quick shower, brush his teeth, and finally hitting the rack for a few hours. After a joyous four hour sleep, his alarm got him up at 7.

"Let's see here," Oliver muttered to himself, whipping out his phone and checking his schedule. A frown formed on his face, the Detective befuddled when he saw he had nothing on his calendar.

"Oh right," He slapped his forehead, chiding himself for being so foolish. "It's Sunday."

All of a sudden, his pager beeped, a message from one Nori Haywood.

------

Christ all mighty, was that blood? There was a sizeable hole in the wall too...

Oliver clicked his tongue in trepidation, pocketing his pager and phone before starting up his car.

Today was going to be...different.

Judging by the pictures, it may have been the florist's place.

He quickly drove through Shine Junction before pulling up on the flower shop, stepping out of his car and approaching the entrance.

How he hated the rain. It didn't allow him the pleasure of a cigarette.

Holland was just about to go inside when he noticed something strewn about the entryway.

Concrete..

But something else...

The tip of a rubber glove?

His heart stopped dead in his chest.

No, it couldn't be...

A quick glance to the side had confirmed what he had initially thought. The place was indeed the scene of the crime.

Entering the building, he looked around, the smell of flowers filling his nostrils as he took a deep whiff.

Despite it being winter, in smelled like spring.

"Mrs. Haywood? Are you here?" He called out, looking around for the girl.

"I got your message. And if this is what I think it is, I'll take this case for free."

[Stern Algorithm]

『10:45 AM』

The little bell over the door rings as Zac steps inside the Shining Kettle. Seeing Shizuka at her post, he looks around to find that the place was empty, except for two people sitting at a booth. Deciding to take advantage of the downtime, he walks over to his co-worker with a smile. "Hey," he says. Noting a rather distracted look in her eyes, he asks, "Penny for your thoughts?"

@Daxam

"Ah...hello...Zac," Shizuka replied, remembering his name, "I-I think I hurt a friend. We only met recently. He's a very interesting individual. We went to the aquarium yesterday, but I don't think he was very happy by the end." Shizuka wasn't usually this loquacious, but it was really bothering her and she figured she'd be able to understand the situation a little better with the help of a man's perspective. Besides, if they were going to be coworkers from now on, she'd need to learn to be comfortable around Zac.

Suddenly, an exhilarated gasp came from Lucille's lips, and she started to point at a dark haired barista who was talking to a coworker.

"WOOOW, SHE'S SO PRETTY! I hope I'm that pretty when I grow up!" the little girl exclaimed, hopping up and down.

Alban laughed at his daughter's reaction and waved nervously at the barista. Lucille's outburst had disturbed one of the very few patrons there, who slammed whatever book he was reading and promptly left the cafe, mumbling something about how awful kids were. A rosy wave of embarrassment filled out Alban's cheeks in response.

"Sorry, she's... very excitable." he fumbled out.

As his gaze fell on the woman, he felt like he recognized her from somewhere. Probably from school since she appeared to be close to his age. The male barista, on the other hand, he didn't recognize at all.

"Uh... you wouldn't happen to sell blueberry muffins here, would you? Also, can one of you recommend a coffee? I'm not exactly well versed in the art of coffee." he asked the two, messing with his hair as he did so.

@Viciousmarrow

Shizuka headed over to Alban and Lucille's table, keeping an eye on the other customer as he left, waiting for him to be out of earshot. "Please pardon the other patron's behavior," Shizuka apologized, "Your daughter is very cute." Despite how young Alban was, Shizuka was observant enough, and family-oriented enough to not mistake Lucille for Alban's sister. "My name is Shizuka, and I'll be your waitress. We do have blueberry muffins. As for coffee, an espresso is a straight shot of coffee, for those who enjoy savoring the aroma of the coffee and either don't mind or enjoy the bitterness. Latte means that milk is added to the coffee to cut the bitterness and add the subtle, creamy flavor of milk. A Mocha usually has chocolate powder added, giving the coffee a chocolate taste and is sweeter. A cappuccino has steamed milk foam added to the top for texture. This is just a quick introduction."

[KoL]

Sunday, 10:18 AM – Shine City Academy Dormitory, Iruka’s room

“Ughh... ughh...” Iruka rolled around on her bed, groaning in pain as the whole world seemed to finally have come down on top of her. God, what was that? Iruka felt as if her head was going to explode and her stomach was growling like a ravenous beast, since she hadn’t eaten anything after her Spartan lunch yesterday, which would make it at least sixteen hours running on nothing but a pack of Pucky and a glass of…

“Ugh… what was that?” Iruka sincerely tried to recall it, but try as she might, the young woman was missing a huge part of her memories from yesterday’s night. For the love of it, she couldn’t even remember how she got back home, to begin with. All that Iruka could recollect were the memories of the embarrassing situation she got herself in and her gorgeous senpai, but other than that, it was a blank and painful void.

“For the love of God, I can’t believe I did something like that…” Iruka’s face was flushed and she hugged her pillow while rolling around.

Knock, knock!

Suddenly the door called Iruka’s attention and the meek girl got up from her bed “Who’s there?”

“A little bunny!” The playful person replied.

“A bunny?” Iruka sounded legitimately confused as she turned the doorknob, only for her face to brighten considerably when she noticed who was standing in front of her door.

“Yes, a little bunny that came to see if her friend is well, after our rough welcome.” Said no one other than Laura, the racing suit-clad German beauty who happened to live at a room on the floor right above Iruka’s. “May I come in?”

Sunday, 10:24 AM – Shine City Academy Dormitory, Iruka’s room

“Oh gosh, Iruka-chan! I don’t know how Nick got your name, but now it’s you’ll be quite famous… at least the next gossip makes them forget.” Laura said as she waited Iruka to groom herself and change into some fresh clothes, “Come, you said you wanna go to the Junction, right? I’m going to the racing track, so I can give you a lift.”

“I… I… don’t know if I should accept it, Laura-san. I don’t wanna be a burden.” Iruka replied meekly, with her head hanging low and face as red as a tomato, as she wondered why they had to go and announce her on the radio. All that attention was really bad for her heart, Iruka was sure of.

“Come on girl, cheer up! You’re not gonna be a bother, let’s go!” Laura almost dragged Iruka away from her room, before lending Iruka a spare helmet and both getting on Laura’s racing bike, the blond beauty revved it up a couple times (mainly to startle to people who shot accusatory gazes at Iruka after listening to the radio) and both of them dashed away in a streak of shining orange and red.

Sunday, 10:xx AM – Shine Junction, Freeway Access

“Thank you, Laura-san, that was the most exhilarating thing I ever did.” Iruka bowed before returning Laura’s helmet. Really, a motorcycle ride down a high-speed road (even if Laura was holding back because of Iruka’s lack of experience with powerful bikes and improper clothing) was a thing that Iruka never though she would do, but it was amazing. In fact she could feel her heart pounding like crazy even now.

“Yeah, it’s amazing, not?” Laura grinned widely, she held back a lot but she hoped Iruka would like it. Sincerely, Laura enjoyed when people shared her love for powerful bikes and this was all Iruka’s benefit. Laura felt that Iruka could be an amazing girl if she only if convinced herself of that, there seemed to be something holding her back (specially evident at the way how Iruka flinched whenever touching or being touched by someone), but Laura could pry on that after knowing Iruka for less than a day, still…

There were other things she could do “Show me your phone, Iruka-chan” Laura said before taking out her own phone and sharing her contact info with Iruka via NFC. “Now, we are official friends, call me whenever you feel like it. Also, since I got your clothes soaked, please accept this and go get a new getup.” Laura pushed some money on Iruka, before revving her bike and turning to leave “I won’t take a no, as answer. If you feel like it pay me back with the money you get from job. See ya tonight!”

“Oh God, why do I keep meeting pushy people?”

Sunday, 10:xx AM – Shine Junction, Street Crossing

Iruka walked by, wearing a new outfit (after dropping her previous one at a laundry shop) and a transparent plastic umbrella and carrying a department store bag with an advanced Christmas present (a stuffed doll of the White Rabbit) that Iruka bought for herself, with a part of the money she won yesterday, because she couldn’t resist the allure of cute fluffy critter (Iruka has always been a lover of Alice and her adventures).

It was only then, that Iruka noticed that the lost phone she had with her ever since yesterday had received both a call and a message from someone that someone that seemed to be mad about the phone’s owner not answering them. Iruka picked it and tapped the screen, hoping that she could return the call without having to unlock the phone. By a miracle Iruka managed to connect, but the rain was causing some interference (perhaps a RF tower had been damaged?), so she was forced to leave a voice mail.

With a meek voice, showing traces of embarrassment and fear, Iruka said “Hmm… hi, this is Kashima Iruka, I believe you called this number a few minutes ago. If I’m wrong, please ignore this call. Anyway, I… hmm… want to know if you are an acquaintance of this phone’s owner, he lost it yesterday and I’m trying to return it ever since. If that’s right, please meet me at the, hmm…” Iruka paused to take a look around, noticing that the best rendezvous point around would be the Shining Kettle “… is the Shining Kettle alright? I’ll give back the phone if you really know that person, I promise.”

Suddenly, she noticed someone she seemed to recognize from the previous night and crossed the street to meet with none other than Ryoki. “Hi there, miss!” Iruka chirped timidly, wondering if the older woman would recognize her without her ‘work clothes’. For some reason, Iruka felt the urge of calling Ryoki ‘Big Sis’, but refrained from doing that because she didn’t knew if the other woman would take it well. Anyway, the shy girl complemented her greeting with bow “Thank you for yesterday,” before a sudden blush lighted her face.

“Oh sorry, you might not even remember who I’m right? Even if it’s so, I’m thankful.”

With that said, Iruka fell silent, waiting for Ryoki’s reply with a huge blush splashed on her face as she hoped that she didn’t sound like a creep, or mistook this person’s identity. Also, there was very embarrassing sound of her stomach begging for nutrition, somewhere in the middle of it all that made Iruka feel like she need to find a hole and jump on it to never get out again.

---

@lovely complex@Delta44

[Daxam]

Zac was about to reply to Shizuka when he heard a little girl excitedly say she wanted to be as pretty as Shizuka. Turning around, Zac sees the little girl with someone who he automatically assumed to be her older brother, which made Zac do a double take after Shizuka mentioned she was his daughter. I...guess I can see that, he thinks as his co-worker walks over to take their orders.

While she speaks with the father, he holds back for a moment before walking over to the daughter. Crouching down to her eye level, he smiles at her and says, "It's very nice to meet you. My name is Zac and I'll be your personal magician today."

Standing, he makes sure he isn't interrupting Shizuka and the father as he reaches behind the daughter's ear, only to pull away with a coin in his fingers as he asks, "May I interest you in some coin tricks?" Flicking his wrist, the coin disappears. He then reaches behind Shizuka with his empty hand. When he brings it back into view, he has five cards in his hand, all hearts: a ten, jack, queen, king, and an ace. "Or maybe some card tricks?"

He flicks his wrist one more time and the cards disappear, replaced by his wand. Reaching behind his back, he pulls a top hat out of thin air and places it on his head as he asks, "Or do you have any suggestions?"

@Stern Algorithm@Viciousmarrow

[Yui]

Sunday, 10:24 AM, streets of Shine City

Rain. The condensation of air up in the clouds into water, which then falls from above down to the ground level. Tomoko was a girl who liked the rain. It was a soothing noise to listen to, it kept plants hydrated and lakes and rivers flowing, and it cleaned dirty streets, sidewalks, and more. For these reasons and more, it was her favorite form of weather. Even on sunny days, she would wear her distinct frog raincoat and rubber boots of choice just on the off-chance that it would suddenly start raining; no need for an umbrella. Today, she roamed the streets of Shine City with a smile on her face and a green hood pulled up over her head. The cartoony frog eyes protruding from the hood probably looked childish to some. Tomoko didn't care. She liked frogs.

Her goal today was to simply enjoy the rain. The games she typically played on Sundays were experiencing server problems today, so she wouldn't be able to play those. Tomoko had considered the possibility of going to the arcade again. There were still leaderboards she had to reclaim, after all. As for this moment, Tomoko had a much more mundane goal. There was a lot of empty space in her stomach, and she didn't feel like making a "proper" breakfast today. She wanted something sweet. So, she set out this morning, intending to buy some snacks from the store, as well as some assorted odds and ends she needed. In her hands was a green thermos, filled with hot chocolate.

It was as she continued down the street that she got caught up in thoughts about what she'd be doing right now were it not raining. Probably staying in her room playing games all day. From there, her mind got caught up in strategies, counterplays, item stats, combos, team compositions, and much more. For a strategic mastermind like Tomoko, the girl sure did tend to get lost in thought now and then. So lost, sometimes, that she would lose sight of what was directly in front of her. She walked face-first into someone, promptly snapping her back into reality.

"Sorry," Tomoko said, looking at the person. They were a good bit taller than her. She had to look up to look them in the face...this guy looked familiar. Someone she'd seen recently, right? Then she remembered. This was the man from the arcade yesterday. The one who mistook her for a new player and gave her some advice. In its own way, that was kind of funny. And now here he was again. Weird. "Oh, it's you. We meet again."
@Takashi

[Dolerman]

Nick was in the Arcade, he was grinding his teeth while he racked up points getting 7th on the Monkey Kong leader board, glancing up to see Sakura Kuroiha's score in 1st place. He sighed to himself and as he took his mind off the colorful screen his mind retreated back into his feelings. He was able to put on a brave voice after the last broadcast but he was feeling pretty weak in his self esteem. Nick had ALWAYS been popular with the ladies but for some reason everytime he had genuine interest in someone he would always fall short. He contemplated maybe trying to move on but his mind was fixated....Nori....maybe I should find her and try and speak....

Bzzztt

Nick's text tone buzzed loudly as he scrambled to check his phone...It was Shizuka! Asking if he could talk. Nick's hands were hurried with excitement as he texted back. He was happy just to hear from her after their date.

Hey Shiz, yeah sounds good, whats up?

Nick put his phone away and promised himself not to check it every 5 seconds, he decided to take a walk around town, maybe in the direction of the enchanted florist...he wasn't committing to anything. But he wanted to give himself that option. He grabbed a packet of lemon flavored bubblegum and started to snap and pop as he left the Arcade.

Goddamn it Weston, what are you doing now?

************************************************************************************************

Rosanna was rolling, half asleep trying to avoid the glare of the sun, but it was in her face and she couldn't avoid it. After 3 or 4 more tosses and turns she decided to give up and just fully open her eyes. Her stomach knotted slightly when that realization that she wasn't staring at her own ceiling kicked in. Rosanna groaned to herself and hurriedly tried to recall what she did last night. Then she turned over to see the naked man still sleeping on the other side of the bed.....Now I remember what I did....I did Dangermouse.... Rosanna muttered to herself as she willed her body into sitting upright staring at the sleeping Naked DJ and trying to piece together whatever sex happened the night before.

Goddamn it Cash, I hope you wore a condom, and where the hell is my bra?.....urgh...not again.

The DJ continued to snore, Rosanna knew he slept like a log, this was the 3rd time this year she had ended up in Cash Dandrich's bed, and she mentally promised herself (again) that this would be the last time, especially cause the were coming into a new year. Rosanna weakly looked around for her clothes which seemed to be scattered around the place and decided to just give up and get a few more minuites rest before she decided to get up properly. She laid back down and snuggled next to Cash as he continued to snooze, hoping he might be up for a morning quickie when he awoke. For some reason when she closed her eyes an image Shou Matsuoka suddenly popped in her head.
She smiled to herself slowly.

[Takashi]

@JustYui

"Let's see... I know that electronics store is around here somewhere..." Yutaro muttered to himself as he walked along the sidewalks as far away from the splashy street as possible. GPS existed precisely for this scenario, and of course Yutaro's phone was equipped with it, but it was raining and water ruined phones. He didn't dare take any precious electronics out of his pockets which were shielded by the heavy raincoat, nor was his willing to risk letting the rain assault any part of his body in the attempt. No, he'd just do this one from memory; Shine Junction wasn't that difficult to navigate anyway.

He was forced to tilt his umbrella back away from his head just enough so that his field of vision could see the names of the stores. "Now, if I remember correctly it should be... there!" Spotting the store, he quickened his pace to minimize the time he would have to spend in the rain, but was obstructed by a sudden impact. He looked down to see what he bumped into and found... a frog? Well, a girl wearing a frog raincoat. It was an odd choice of fashion, but the girl seemed to wear it with confidence, which made it actually look good on her. It took him a moment to recognize who he had run into due to the strange jacket she was wearing and the rain dampening his brain, but then a look of recognition dawned on his face. "Ah, Tomoko," he said, forcing himself to smile despite the rain once he realized that he knew this person. "I didn't see you all the way down there."

He hoped that she didn't mind a "little" tease like that, after all, they still didn't know each other very well, but his tone was clearly playful, not mean. Besides, everyone who hung around Yutaro either learned how to roll with his punches, or fire back. He saw that she was holding a thermos, probably holding coffee or something warm like that, and days like this were good for warm drinks... but not outside! The rain always puddled up on the lid of whatever you were holding, and when you went to take a sip to get a tiny bit of relief, the first thing that hit your tongue was a swish of cold, salty, rain water. Pass. "So," he continued, doing his best not to let his disdain for the weather come across in his tone as he spoke to someone who had done nothing wrong other than be under the same rain as him. "What are you up to on the lovely day?" The sarcasm in his voice couldn't be more evident, nor could he have hid it if he tried. He may as well have said, "Hey, I don't mind having a chat, but can we do it under an awning?"

[Delta44]

The Raven's mind began to wander as she entered a daydream-like state, eyes open but mind closed, wandering... thinking... Most importantly, it was remembering.

'It came every winter... Every year...

...death...'

The snow was, to Ryoki, the ashes of a cremated angel. The rain was their tears, and the winds that howled were the screams of the unfortunate angel's family. It was a horrible time of year, because every year, around this time...

... Someone Ryoki knew would die...

It began at an age when she couldn't even fully comprehend the concept properly, however as time went on, Ryoki began to understand what death was all too well. People would die all around her, and she found it inevitable that someone, some time this winter she knew, would die soon. Thankfully, her curse didn't seem to attack her family, and for that, she was thankful. Well, unless you counted her would-be brothers and sisters, who all managed to die pre-birth until her mother was no longer able. It was horrific for all of them in the Mochizukki family, and was the reason behind Mokyu and Kimasu's adoption.

The snow... It was so cruelly beautiful... Like the ashes of an angel...

'I wonder... who will it be this time...?'

Ryoki shook her head, the urge to vomit welling up inside her. No, she couldn't think like that; she absolutely could not think like that. Feeling lightheaded, she sucks in a gust of cool air, which chills her lungs and provides it with oxygen that had been deprived in secret; she'd been holding her breath without her knowing. Wrapping the scarf around her neck another layer, Ryoki shivers as she suddenly felt unnaturally cold...

She was scared...

'Calm down, Ryoki... People die all the time... Remember, you're Ryoki: the Friendliest Shinigami. You can't live up to your namesake and become cold toward others. You need to remind them the afterlife is a nice place...'

Despite the positive thinking, Ryoki didn't feel positive. In fact, she felt worse than she did before. She stares up at the roof in which she was seated under, the pitter-patter of the rain echoing from beneath the metal roof. It was beautiful, and yet at the same time it was sad. 'Just like an angel's tears...' She thought, once again zoning out, this time the sweet embrace of sleep slowly seeping in, as reality began to fa-

“Hi there, miss!”

"Eep!" Ryoki exclaims with a jolt, her surprised little squeal actually sounding rather cute for those who managed to hear. Dammit, this was the second time she was woken with a start. If this was going to keep happening, Ryoki would never get the chance to rest! Then again, she thought, sleep was generally done at night, not during the middle of the day.

The girl who stood before her... was incredibly cute. Yet, as this thought rang out in her mind, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret in her chest. She looked familiar, a little too familiar. Like they'd met sometime before. 'The casino...'

... And then she remembered last night...

'Oh god...'

“Thank you for yesterday."

... Wait, what?

"Oh sorry, you might not even remember who I’m right? Even if it’s so, I’m thankful.”

Ryoki stares at the girl with bleary eyes. Her stare was blank, and it wouldn't take much for one to see, or at the very least assume, that Ryoki was pretty tired. Though, for Iruka, it might not have occurred to her. Ryoki knew who she was. She was the cute bunny girl from last night that she couldn't quite remember the name of just now, and she was searching every nook and cranny of her brain to locate it. There was the blackjack game... flirting... then the walk back to the boss...

'Oh shit... I applied to work at the casino last night...'

Despite the regret that filled her inside, Ryoki smiles kindly at Iruka - a king, albeit tired smile, that might look more normal to the young girl than expected, perhaps to the point of it being off-putting. "No, I remember you." She replies, as she finally remembered the name of the cute bunny girl. "Iru-chan."

As soon as she said that, Iruka's stomach grumbled. Ryoki raised an eyebrow at the young girl before adding: "Skip breakfast? Don't worry, so did I." The woman stood and, just like last time, gently pat the girl on the head. It was strange, sure, but Ryoki didn't really care. She just loved watching Iruka react. That, and somebody had to ruffle that hair a little. The temptation could only be quenched that way. "It's pretty rare for me to run into someone after a night out. Why not make the most of it and get you something to eat, hmm? You'll starve at this rate!"

Though her tone implies that she was trying to be a bit more happy towards the end, in reality, Ryoki really didn't want Iruka to starve. She would buy her a delicious meal, and have her eat until she was full, at least that's what she wanted. She just couldn't have it any other way...

@KoL

[Narcotic Dollie]

Collaboration between @Bozo and @Narcotic Dollie

The bell on the door chimed as someone entered the shop. "Mrs. Haywood? Are you here?" called out a voice in an easy baritone.

"G'morning, welcome to the Enchanted Florist," Nori answered back, setting down the bouquet of daphne flowers she had been working on and turning to greet the customer. A man with raven colored hair stood in the doorway, his dark eyes scanning the store before landing on her. "I'll be your personal florist 'f-fairy' today," the blonde said with a smile, fumbling over the line a little. The owners had just added it to their greetings a couple of weeks ago and Nori still got a little embarrassed every time she said it.

"I got your message. And if this is what I think it is, I'll take this case for free."

"Oh, you must be Detective Holland," Nori replied, visibly relaxing, drying her hands off on her yellow uniform apron before walking over to shake his hand. “Thanks for coming on such short notice,” she said before dropping his hand. “You said you’ll take the case for free? I mean, I’m grateful, but that sounds pretty ominous,” Nori admitted, chewing at her bottom lip nervously.

"That's because it is," Oliver replied, reaching down and pulling out a cigarette from his pocket. "I'd recognize handwriting like that anywhere." He placed it in his mouth, quickly taking out a lighter and giving a few quick puffs. Hell, he didn't see a no smoking policy on the door, so he was liable to indulge. "And I would think this to be the work of someone, no, something who wishes to harm you for the sake of violence. You're a pretty girl, can't imagine whose shit list you'd be on."

He flicked the ashes down to the floor, shrugging his shoulders before continuing. "Do you believe in the Weatherman, Mrs. Haywood? Because he exists, and judging by the tiny flecks of blood I saw on the door as I opened it, you seem to be the next target. I'd take writing in blood seriously, Nori."

Oliver rubbed his temples, sighing as he tried to get a picture of what was going on. "There was a hole in the wall, with considerable force behind it. Probably a sledgehammer."

He paused, waiting for the young woman to process what he'd said.

The detective lights a cigarette and takes a drag before beginning to explain the situation and even though Nori hates the smell she bites her tongue. He is doing her a huge favor after all, the least she could do is tolerate a cigarette or two. She does however, nudge an empty flower pot over to where the ashes are landing with her foot, because favor or no, she really didn't want to have to sweep them all up when he's done.

By the time he's finished her mouth is dry, so she tries to swallow, but it doesn't help. "The Weatherman? I thought that was just a bogeyman story people told their kids to keep them out of the rain," Nori says quietly, clenching and unclenching her hands into the fabric of her apron. "You, erm, you think he's real and I might be his next vi-victim?" She asks, struggling to get the last word out. 'This is straight out of a horror movie,' the florist realizes and images of violence and gore pop into her thoughts unbidden, making her feel suddenly queasy.

"Do you mind if I sit down?" Nori asks, but she's already pulling out one of the stools at the arrangement counter and plopping down before he answers. "So, what do I do? If he knows where I live, I shouldn't go home tonight, right?"

"I'd recommend you stay at a friend’s house for the time being," Oliver responded flatly, his features grim as tossed the butt into the flower pot sitting at his feet. "Do you know anyone willing to let you stay at their place? If not, you could always get a hotel room." He could tell she was nervous now; judging on how she kept licking her lips and trying to swallow. Lucky for her, the Detective always had a solution. She might not like it, though.

"I could stay in the shop tonight. Wait to see if he actually comes. And if it just so happens that he does, well..." He trailed off, pulling away the flap of his trench coat and showing Haywood the concealed revolver tucked away in a holster underneath his arm. "Scum like this guy need to be put down. I've been chasing this asshole for four years now, and this time, he's not getting away."

Oliver brought a hand up to the stubble on his chin and scratched it thoughtfully.

But killers were an unpredictable bunch; each individual one had their quirks. Some were liars, chaotic, obvious...

Others, however, phantoms. Ghosts in every conceivable way.

Untraceable.

Oliver scratches at his chin, which is more rugged and squarer than it has any right to be, while Nori's eyes dart to where his gun is strapped under his arm. It reassures her a little, because it makes it seem like he's prepared for a possible psychopath who may or may not be planning to murder her in her sleep or string-her-up-by-her-toenails-or-pull-out-all-her-guts-so-he-can-jump-rope-with-them-or-maybe-he'll-go-with-the-standard-burn-her-alive-because-maybe-people-are-like-lobsters-and-they-taste-best-when-they're-cooked-alive-and-then-he'll-serve-her-with-a-nice-side-of-butter-and-rice-and-seasoned-vegetables--

"Hgfn," Nori wheezes, laying her head down on the counter top and closing her eyes while trying to get her erratic breaths under control. After a moment, it works. When she's calmed down enough the blonde pulls her head back up and clears her throat.

"I know a few people who might let me stay with them (maybe Kyle, or would that be too weird? There's always Jennifer.), but I'm not sure if the owners will let you stay in the shop," Nori stopped here to worry at her bottom lip with her teeth, trying to come up with a solution. "Oh! You could stay in my apartment, if you want. My roommate just moved out about a month ago, so it's just me." Nori digs around in her pocket until she finds her keys, deft finger unhooking the spare key Kameyo gave back before she left. "Would that work okay, or should I ask the owners of you can stay here tonight?"

He watched her attempt to get a hold of herself, his face stoic as he looked around the shop. It was a quaint little establishment, which made him more curious as to why this psycho had targeted it. Perhaps the Weatherman didn't need a reason at all. The bastard killed for fun. If you were out on a rainy day late at night, you were done. Just like...

Just like Shou's fiancée.

He wiped his face to avoid blurry eyes, yet could still feel the stinging burn of tears threatening to come forth.

Shou...I won't fail you again, buddy...

Inhaling and regaining his composure, he nodded, reaching out and taking the key from her.

"If you're sure. I won't go through any of your things, I promise."

Hesitantly, he reached out, and placing a hand on Nori's shoulder, tried to offer the girl some solace.

She was just a kid for fucks sake. She must've been scared out of her mind.

"I'll protect you, Mrs. Haywood. Nothing bad is going to happen; I promise."

"Thank you, Detective Holland," she told him in a quiet voice, his hand a reassuring weight on her shoulder. "I appreciate you doing this for me, I owe you. If you ever need flowers, you know who to come see," she said with a wink, doing her best to lighten the somber mood that had fallen over the store. The blonde reached up and tapped his hand twice with her own in a gesture she hoped displayed both gratitude and solidarity, before shrugging off the touch.

"Anyways, the store closes at two today, so when I get off I'll pack a bag and then head out. There's not a lot in the fridge, but you're welcome to it," Nori explained, yellow eyes flicking up to meet his. "Don't do anything stupid, okay? If some huge freak walks in with a sledgehammer just unload on him, don't ask questions. And if you start to get a bad feeling, you can always just leave," she says sternly, before sighing because that came out pushier than she meant it to. "I'm sorry, I know you know what you're doing. Just be careful, alright?"

Nori hesitates for a moment, before tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and asking, "Can you text me every once in a while, so I know you're okay?"

"Don't worry about me." Oliver smiled, lowering his hands before adjusting his hat. "But I do appreciate the concern nonetheless." It was a shame, really, how useless the police were in this city. Just another reason why he left it. There were too many barriers, so much red tape, followed by certain implications that impeded any chance of justice. People had to rely on the private sector for services that the local government should've been able to provide from the start.

And people wonder why there's an increasing crime rate.

He did find it a bit strange how she wanted him to keep her updated. Understandable, of course, but interesting regardless.

"It'll be fine, I'm sure of it. I've dealt my fair share of punishment in my days. Why, just last night I had to beat the shit out of some punks during a trip to Club Lush."

"You were the one who did that!?" Nori squeaked before she could help herself, eyes widening to near comical levels. The florist studied Oliver, looking for any signs of damage that might be a byproduct of a fight against three assailants, but couldn't find anything, not even a scratch. The detective wasn't a scrawny man by any stretch of the imagination, but she hasn't expected him to be so capable against multiple attackers. "What the hell did you beat that one guy with to leave a knot that size?" The tattooed girl asked, remembering vividly the kaleidoscope of bumps and bruises that had made her feel so ill the night before.

"I DJ there on the weekends," she explains before continuing with, "Why were you even there? You don't seem like the type who's into the whole club scene."

Oliver smirked, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small cylinder like device. He glanced up at her, before flicking his wrist, the cylinder now extending into a narrow 16 inch strip of solid steel. "Extendable police baton. Can be lethal or non lethal, depending on how much force you put behind the blow." He shrugged. "I'm not, actually. The only reason I was there was to get a lead on a missing person case. Said person has already been found, so don't worry your pretty little head off."

He sighed. "Dangermouse really is shit, though."

Nori's face lit up at the prospect of a fellow Dangermouse hater. "I know, right? Everybody says he's the best, but he's got no imagination. He just plays the same crap night after night and the crowd eats it up because he gets up there half naked!" She exclaims, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "It's all good though, because I'm going to outflank him next Friday. I'm gonna wear the skimpiest, trashiest, skankiest, most ridiculous dress I can get my hands on and put that smug son of a bitch in his place! My boobs are gonna be ALL OVER THE PLACE!"

A silence feel over the flower shop, the kind that can only be brought on after you start talking about your sweater kittens to a complete stranger.

"But yeah, no, I completely agree, he really is a shit DJ," Nori confirms after a moment, scratching at her nose.

The Detective was at a loss for words. The girl was certainly, uh, passionate about music that was for sure. If you considered a bunch of beeps and boops from a machine music in the first place. Ah, the youth of today, when did they get like this? "Ah yes, the skin policy your creep boss has everyone doing, I see how it is. Which is why I only go there to get information, followed by the occasional report of some drug activity going on. Knowing clubs, I'm not surprised. But y'all better watch yourselves down there. Don't want a raid now, do we?"

Plus Tyrone is the only one that has access to Cuban Cigars!

"Back on topic, what's the layout of your apartment? I need to know access points, windows, all that good stuff."

"Right," Nori replied, thankful for the topic change. "The front door opens to the stairs, which go straight up to the livingroom. One of the windows in there leads to the fire escape," she informs. "I don't think he'd be able to get up that way, since they build them high up specifically so people can't use them for break ins. Unless he's actually eight feet tall, like the stories say," she stops to shoot him a curious glance, since he knows more about The Weatherman than her.

"The living room is open to the kitchen and dining nook. There's a window in there, but it's super tiny. Like, so small that I wouldn't be able to crawl through it. Then there's a hallway that dead ins at the bathroom, no window in there, with a bedroom on either side of it. They have windows, but they overlook the sidewalk and there isn't anything to climb up on, so I think they're fine," the florist finishes, before asking, "Is that everything you need, Mr. Holland?"

The Private Eye nodded. "That'll be all, Mrs. Haywood. I'll see you later today. I gotta drop by my place to get a few things. After all, I have a feeling it's going to be a long day." He reached out and shook her hand goodbye, giving the DJ a curt nod as he turned to leave. Something just didn't seem right about the entire situation, but he'd get to the bottom of it. Oliver was going to put a hurting on this asshole, or die trying.

He paused at the door.

"But just in case, one word in writing on the wall is vague. Tomorrow, now today, something will happen. Yet, we don't know where, when, or who is at risk. If he knows you, then he might go after people you have acquainted yourself with. I'm not sure if he's limited his killing to only be at night or not. Hell, he might be walking around in broad daylight. Wouldn't surprise me, the cops here are fucking useless."

"Okay, I'll be careful," Nori reassured, but she prayed her luck wouldn't be that bad. She was in no hurry to be confronted by a big, hulking psychopath that was bold enough to attack people in the middle of the day. "And I'll give my friends a heads up."

'Hey guys, someone may or not be plotting to murder me and everyone I know, so be careful when it rains! Yeah, this'll be fun,' she mused. 'Daindrich is gonna laugh his ass off at me.'

"I'll see you when I get off work. Stay safe out there."

She would look up from her phone.

But Oliver was already gone.

[Bozo]

YAOWZA! What up Shine City, it’s your boy Nick Weston and man, it’s really coming down out there guys! Make sure to grab an umbrella before you leave the house. Now I know a bunch of you are hungover, but it’s 10:22AM on Sunday, so get your butts out of bed! Man, last night was insane. Some random dude straight up ran me over, which was totally not cool at all, but I didn’t mind so much because I got to meet the lovely Kashima Iruka and let me just say, dang, that is one pretty lady! My sources tell me that she worked a shift at the Casino last night, and yes, she apparently wore the bunny uniform! How is this girl still single!? If you’re interested, you’d better move fast, because I have a feeling this beauty won’t be on the market for long!

Now it’s time for Weston’s Suggestions. If your gal caught you grinding up on somebody that wasn’t her last night at the club, why don’t you stop by The Enchanted Florist and grab her some flowers to say, ‘I’m Sorry’? Who knows, maybe she’ll take you back! Just don’t get caught ogling the pretty florists like Kaori Tatsumia-

The radio said no more as a solid piece of metal brought fury down upon it, sparks flying as electric components flew across the alleyway, clattering upon the puddle ridden concrete before fizzing out into a faint whir.

Fuck you, Nick Weston.

Raising his sledgehammer, the Weatherman looked up to the sky, raindrops pattering softly against the lens of his gas mask. It was so beautiful. Oh, how long he had waited for this. When it rained, it poured, and when he came into the picture, blood flowed. There wasn't anytime to waste. After all, no expects to die in broad daylight. He visited the flower shop earlier, and was disappointed to find out that the blonde girl had been to quick for him.

No.

He just took his time.

Then he remembered the radio.

Kashima Iruka, Kaori Tatsumi.
Casino and the same place he was at last night.

He chortled, his grip on his bloody sledgehammer tightening.

Thank you, NICK WESTON.

So many beautiful people. So many girls that needed to die.

The Academy...of course.

[Viciousmarrow]

"Your daughter is very cute."

"Thank you, she's-"

At Shizuka's mention, Lucille immediately jumped up from her seat and pointed at her father, cutting his sentence off.

"YOU OWE ME A OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIE NOWW!" she blurted out.

They had gotten used to people thinking they were brother and sister, so every time someone actually got their relationship right, Alban had promised her an oatmeal raisin cookie. Sighing with a smile, he gave a small nod to his daughter while he listened to his waitresses's discuss the various types of coffee available. As she finished, he looked up into her red eyes in thought. At the same time, he noticed she was rather attractive like his daughter had said, which left him lingering a bit too long. Catching himself, he quickly cleared his throat and stared back down at the menu, announcing his order.

"I suppose I will try an espresso shot. Why not, right? She'll have water and a blueberry muffin. And an oatmeal raisin cookie..."

Suddenly, he leaned over to Shizuka's ear, cupping a hand over his mouth.

"Can you tell her that you're out of cookies? I don't like her eating a lot of sweets." he whispered to her, retracting before Lucille realized what was going on.

He hoped she didn't mind the invasion of personal space, but he didn't want his little girl to start throwing a tantrum by denying her the cookie. For a second though, he almost forgot his manners.

"Oh, and thanks! You've been very helpful!" he quipped.

---

Meanwhile, Lucille was face to face with a dark haired man who announced himself as Zack, her personal magician. He then reached behind her ear, revealing a coin in his hand as he pulled away. Her eyes went wide with amazement, a plastered grin on her adorable face.

"May I interest you in some coin tricks?"

The coin disappears, but his sorcery continues, and he brings forth a royal suit of cards from Shizuka's back. The little girl's mouth turns into a giant O as her mind is blown by his tricks.

"Or maybe some card tricks?"

A flick of his wrist, the cards disappear and he holds a wand. A hand behind his back, and suddenly he is wearing a top hat. The girl now has no doubt that this man is truly a wizard of immense power! Her eyes are practically sparkling with delight.

"Or do you have any suggestions?"

She's speechless for a moment, her big blue eyes wandering from his face to the surrounding environment. She catches something in the corner of her eyes: outside a woman was across the street, holding a bag, and talking to another lady. Her finger points outside to the bag.

"I wanna see what's in that bag that lady is holding. Make it appear in here, pwease!" she joyfully cries, clasping her hands together and putting on the cheesiest of smiles.

Her expression was cute enough to melt glaciers as she waited for Zac to perform his magic.

@Stern Algorithm @Daxam @KoL